Uganda excels in Melbourne
Mar 26, 2006
THE team to the Commonwealth games is moving from party to party as Ugandan fans line up to pay tribute to them for winning two gold and a bronze medal last week. The trend is likely to continue in Kampala when the team returns tomorrow and on Wednesday.
Louis Jadwong
in Melbourne, Australia
THE team to the Commonwealth games is moving from party to party as Ugandan fans line up to pay tribute to them for winning two gold and a bronze medal last week. The trend is likely to continue in Kampala when the team returns tomorrow and on Wednesday.
Uganda’s performance in Melbourne ranks alongside its 1990 overall achievement but is the
best ever in track and field. All Uganda’s previous gold medals had come from the boxers. Uganda finished 9th out 71 countries on the track and field table.
In Auckland 1990, Uganda grabbed two gold through boxers-turned-politicians Justin Juuko and Godfrey Nyakana, plus two other bronze medals.
The country’s most successful teams were those of 1970 that brought in three gold, three silver and a bronze, and that of 1974 that won two gold, four silver and three bronze.
The last day of action on Saturday was the most hectic and left a Ugandan-born engineer Steve Mutabazi and his family and friends stranded yesterday with food for 15 and an empty 14-seater van, after the athletes failed to wake up in time for a tour he had organised. He gave up the wait at mid-day.
After cheering Boniface Kiprop to gold in the 10,000m race on Saturday night, the team headed for a party organised by Melbourne university lecturer Henry Owino at his home. It went on until 3:00am. Those who were still strong enough then went to town for a disco organised for African athletes that continued till daytime.
Owino’s party followed another earlier organised by the Australian community here.
The Ugandan High Commissioner, Dr. James Lukabyo, also joined the celebrations by offering gold medal winners Dorcus Inzikuru and Kiprop $250 each, and $100 to bronze medalist Martin Mubiru. The commissioner, however, failed to get the athletes together for a dinner, as they had more invitations to parties than they could handle.
“Considering the less than adequate preparations we had, the team to Melbourne has exceeded our expectations,†team manager Justine Ligyalingi said yesterday. “What’s actually most exciting is that it is a very young team that has done the country proud. We came here with our sight on building for Beijing 2008,†he added.
Uganda also had one of the youngest competitors at the games, 13-year-old table tennis player Asha Nambozo, while gold medalist Boniface Kiprop is just 20 years old. The youngest at the Melbourne games was 12-year-old table tennis player Shing Yoshua of Vanuatu islands in the Pacific.
Uganda’s table tennis, badminton, swimming and athletics teams are also dominated by teenagers.
Ligyalingi confirmed the team returns in two batches, with the boxers, swimmers and badminton players arriving tomorrow, and Inzikuru leading the athletes, except for Kiprop, Busienei and Moses Kipsiro, back home on Wednesday night. The Japan-bound athletes will connect from Dubai for this weekend’s world cross-country championships.
Ligyalingi denied knowledge of reports that Inzikuru must leave for Italy minutes after arriving in Entebbe because her visa expires at the end of the month. “The government will handle whatever crisis arises. What I know is that Inzikuru is returning to Kampala for sometime and will lead our party home since Kiprop will be away,†he said.
in Melbourne, Australia
THE team to the Commonwealth games is moving from party to party as Ugandan fans line up to pay tribute to them for winning two gold and a bronze medal last week. The trend is likely to continue in Kampala when the team returns tomorrow and on Wednesday.
Uganda’s performance in Melbourne ranks alongside its 1990 overall achievement but is the
best ever in track and field. All Uganda’s previous gold medals had come from the boxers. Uganda finished 9th out 71 countries on the track and field table.
In Auckland 1990, Uganda grabbed two gold through boxers-turned-politicians Justin Juuko and Godfrey Nyakana, plus two other bronze medals.
The country’s most successful teams were those of 1970 that brought in three gold, three silver and a bronze, and that of 1974 that won two gold, four silver and three bronze.
The last day of action on Saturday was the most hectic and left a Ugandan-born engineer Steve Mutabazi and his family and friends stranded yesterday with food for 15 and an empty 14-seater van, after the athletes failed to wake up in time for a tour he had organised. He gave up the wait at mid-day.
After cheering Boniface Kiprop to gold in the 10,000m race on Saturday night, the team headed for a party organised by Melbourne university lecturer Henry Owino at his home. It went on until 3:00am. Those who were still strong enough then went to town for a disco organised for African athletes that continued till daytime.
Owino’s party followed another earlier organised by the Australian community here.
The Ugandan High Commissioner, Dr. James Lukabyo, also joined the celebrations by offering gold medal winners Dorcus Inzikuru and Kiprop $250 each, and $100 to bronze medalist Martin Mubiru. The commissioner, however, failed to get the athletes together for a dinner, as they had more invitations to parties than they could handle.
“Considering the less than adequate preparations we had, the team to Melbourne has exceeded our expectations,†team manager Justine Ligyalingi said yesterday. “What’s actually most exciting is that it is a very young team that has done the country proud. We came here with our sight on building for Beijing 2008,†he added.
Uganda also had one of the youngest competitors at the games, 13-year-old table tennis player Asha Nambozo, while gold medalist Boniface Kiprop is just 20 years old. The youngest at the Melbourne games was 12-year-old table tennis player Shing Yoshua of Vanuatu islands in the Pacific.
Uganda’s table tennis, badminton, swimming and athletics teams are also dominated by teenagers.
Ligyalingi confirmed the team returns in two batches, with the boxers, swimmers and badminton players arriving tomorrow, and Inzikuru leading the athletes, except for Kiprop, Busienei and Moses Kipsiro, back home on Wednesday night. The Japan-bound athletes will connect from Dubai for this weekend’s world cross-country championships.
Ligyalingi denied knowledge of reports that Inzikuru must leave for Italy minutes after arriving in Entebbe because her visa expires at the end of the month. “The government will handle whatever crisis arises. What I know is that Inzikuru is returning to Kampala for sometime and will lead our party home since Kiprop will be away,†he said.